For cultivators, seven days amounted to no more than a meditation session.
Lu Changgeng had yet to return from the marketplace on Mist Spirit Mountain.
Yet Lu Chenxing had broken through again.
The instant his presence changed, it startled the Lu Household patriarch out of his cultivation with his eyes closed.
After Lu Changfeng extended his Divine Sense to investigate, his jaw nearly dropped in shock.
Qi Refining Second Layer!
What was going on? How had he broken through just from reading?
He had not seen little Chenxing cultivate these past few days.
And how long had it been?
Seven days.
From Qi Refining First Layer to Qi Refining Second Layer.
Wasn't that a little too monstrous?
Lu Chenxing was also stunned for a moment by this sudden breakthrough, then became wild with joy once he recovered.
A minor realm's worth of cultivation fed back in seven days.
In the early days of Great Xia's entry into an age of cultivation civilization, that was certainly not slow.
As the number of cultivators in Great Xia increased, the cultivation fed back would double, increase tenfold, a hundredfold, even a millionfold.
When that time comes, hehehe!
Lu Chenxing had already begun to fantasize.
He might be able to suppress all the heavens before he even grew up.
Tiny little me, invincible under heaven.
Even enemies from heaven would have to kneel before me!
"Don't be shocked, Grandpa Patriarch. It's just the basics. You'll be fine once you get used to it!"
After all, this would happen frequently in the future.
Lu Changfeng swallowed.
He did not know what to say.
All he could do was nod in silence.
Ever since Lu Chenxing appeared, his understanding had been overturned time and again. If he could not understand it, he could only passively accept it.
Get used to it.
It'll be fine once I get used to it.
Moreover, Lu Chenxing's bizarre cultivation speed of breaking through a realm in seven days strengthened his resolve further.
He had to take a gamble.
He had to claim a share of the Mystic Wood Forest.
Even if it meant completely falling out with the Wang Household, or even all-out war, he would not hesitate.
After so many years of hiding their light and biding their time, it was time to show their edge.
Otherwise, the other surrounding forces would all treat the Lu Household like a soft persimmon to squeeze.
Take the Wang Household, for instance.
With merely five Foundation Establishment cultivators, they dared to think nothing of the Lu Household.
If numbers alone could determine strength, what use were cultivation realms or combat power?
"Grandpa Patriarch, I've finished all the books here. Does our household have any other books? Also, I'd like to make copies of a few cultivation methods. Would that be all right?"
"Yes, we have a scripture pavilion. I'll take you there right now, little Chenxing. Tell the grandpa guarding it which cultivation methods you'd like copied. I'll instruct him to take care of it for you!"
Whatever Lu Chenxing requested, Lu Changfeng agreed without hesitation.
This was no joke.
He was the Lu Household's greatest treasure now.
They had to cradle him in their hands and put him on a pedestal.
Lu Chenxing narrowed his eyes in a sweet smile. "Thank you, Grandpa Patriarch."
He nearly charmed Lu Changfeng silly.
Having gained a grandson in his old age, he picked Lu Chenxing up, settled him on his shoulders, and headed for the scripture pavilion.
Lu Chenxing wanted copies of various five-element cultivation methods.
He could sense that the cultivation fed back by the system had initially contained only a pure wood-attribute presence. After a relatively long time, a metal-attribute presence had joined it.
He guessed that a second compatriot in Great Xia might have embarked on the path of cultivation.
Thus, it would be best to collect cultivation methods for all five elements for the next delivery, allowing Great Xia to assign corresponding methods to cultivators with different Spirit Root attributes.
Although the other elemental cultivation methods in the Lu Household's collection could not compare with the top-tier wood-attribute method Lu Changgeng was currently seeking outside.
They were still better than the Basic Qi Refining Instruction.
Besides the five-element cultivation methods, Lu Chenxing also selected some books on general cultivation knowledge from the scripture pavilion.
Sending these back would give Great Xia a greater, more thorough understanding of real cultivation and spare them many detours.
Another two and a half days passed.
Lu Changgeng returned, bringing back a top-tier wood-attribute cultivation method, the Yi Wood Everlasting Spring Art.
Upon sensing Lu Chenxing's presence, the returning Lu Changgeng reacted exactly as Lu Changfeng had before.
It took him a long while to recover from his shock.
As he looked at that tiny baby, he found him more adorable than ever.
He truly wanted to knead him into his arms and embed him there.
How could there be such a lovable child in this world?
"Little Chenxing, I brought you some other presents from the marketplace this time!"
Presents? More presents!
What are they?
Lu Chenxing's eyes suddenly lit up. "Grandpa Changgeng, what presents did you bring me?"
Lu Changgeng took out two pill bottles.
He explained.
"This bottle contains Mystic Spirit Liquid, a heavenly material and earthly treasure that's extremely easy to refine and absorb. Not only can it quickly increase your cultivation, it can also strengthen your constitution and improve your foundation. You're at Qi Refining Second Layer now. Once you've absorbed it all, you'll reach Qi Refining Third Layer."
"The other bottle contains a Spirit-Seizing Pill. I happened to catch an auction on this trip to the marketplace and won it there. This pill nearly emptied your Grandpa Changgeng's entire savings."
"This Spirit-Seizing Pill can only be taken by Qi Refining Stage cultivators, and each person can take only one in their lifetime. It raises your cultivation by one minor realm without any side effects. Little Chenxing, you can save it until you reach Qi Refining Eleventh Layer for the best effect!"
In Lu Chenxing's eyes.
Lu Changgeng was glowing all over.
He leaped up with all his strength and clung to him.
"Grandpa Changgeng, I love you to death!"
"Oh, Grandpa adores you most too."
Watching this from the side, Lu Changfeng and Lu Xuanming felt their hearts lurch. They suddenly realized something.
Lu Changgeng, that old fellow, looked rough and honest, but he was actually full of schemes.
He was remarkably good at buying people's hearts.
He would not even spare the heart of a baby less than a year old.
Utterly shameless!
No, we absolutely cannot let him monopolize the favor.
Lu Changfeng peeled Lu Chenxing off Lu Changgeng and said with a smile, "Little Chenxing, that Mystic Spirit Liquid and Spirit-Seizing Pill aren't anything special. Your Grandpa Changfeng prepared a few Blood Spirit Fruits especially for you."
"These Blood Spirit Fruits are the finest among first-tier heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Not only do they greatly increase your spiritual power when consumed, their improvements to your foundation and constitution are several times greater than those of Mystic Spirit Liquid."
As he spoke, Lu Changfeng took a long rectangular jade box out of the spatial ring on his finger.
A pained look flashed across his face.
Still, these Blood Spirit Fruits had been set aside to nurture the household's talented younger generation, so there was nothing wrong with giving them to Lu Chenxing now.
With both Lu Changfeng and Lu Changgeng having made their gestures, Lu Xuanming naturally refused to fall behind.
This concerned whom Lu Chenxing would feel closer to once he grew up. He absolutely could not be careless.
So, although his cultivation was the lowest of the three and his accumulated resources the scantiest.
He brought out his most precious possession.